1) Maharashtra, first state in the country to launch free injectable contraceptive for women
•Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to provide women an injectable contraceptive for free. The state’s public health department launched a program called Antara to offer women an injection of Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), a birth-control hormone.
•The announcements were made on the occasion of World Population Day (11th July). According to state health officials, the injection, a safe means of birth control, is effective for three months. The injection will be given intramuscularly to women in the age bracket of 18-45 years.
2) Venkaiah Naidu releases new version of NHB RESIDEX
•Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs M Venkaiah Naidu released the new version of NHB RESIDEX on the occasion of the annual day of National Housing Bank, entering its 30th year in New Delhi.
•The NHB RESIDEX captures movements in the prices of residential real estate prices. NHB RESIDEX for January-March,2017 revealed that price indices for residential properties based on actual market prices for ongoing construction prices have increased over the previous quarter in 24 of the 47 cities covered in the Index.
3) 36th Foundation Day of NABARD celebrated
•Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley inaugurated the 36th NABARD Foundation Day and Silver Jubilee of SHG Bank Linkage Programme, in New Delhi.
•Self Help Group Bank Linkage Programme (SHG BLP) is a pioneering initiative of Financial Inclusion by NABARD. The pilot stage of this programme was started in year 1992.
4) CM of Delhi launches e-RTI, Delhi becomes 2nd state to accept online applications
•Filing an RTI application with the Delhi government is now just a click away. Delhi became the second state to launch e-RTI portal that will enable citizens to file online Right to Information (RTI). Maharashtra is the first state to launch the online RTI platform.
•The portal launched recently will enable citizens to file RTI and seek information related to 172 departments of the Delhi government including the office of the CM and his ministers. The e-RTI portal, which has been designed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), includes filling of application, payment of fees and getting replies online.
•An applicant will also be able to track the status of RTI application. The e-RTI application fee will have to be paid through net banking. Citizens can file the e-RTIs by logging at www.rtionline.delhi.gov.in.
5) President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates ‘Ashiana Annexe’ in Dehradun, Uttarakhand
•President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the annexe of the presidential retreat Ashiana which has accommodation facilities for accompanying officers and staff of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
•The Ashiana retreat was built originally as a bungalow of the commandant of the President's Bodyguard and was revived by Mukherjee after long years of disuse. K R Narayanan, in March 1998, was the last president to stay here.
6) HAL signs MoU with Defence Ministry
•Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed an MoU for the financial year 2017-18 with the Ministry of Defence. The annual MoU was signed between Ashok Kumar Gupta, Secretary, Department of Defence Production and T Suvarna Raju, CMD-HAL.
•The MoU has outlined targets on various performance parameters of the company during the year 2017-18. The revenue from operations has been targeted at Rs. 17,900 crore, the highest ever.HAL has also laid specific emphasis on capacity building, modernization, solar power plants, aiming to achieve capital expenditure of Rs. 1,300 crore.
